Guelph business grad makes her mark on Macdonald Hall

Cassaundra Laundry’s experience as a U of G student was so impactful on her life that she wanted other students to have the same experience – but even better. Her gift to Macdonald Hall, the new home of the College of Business and Economics, will help give students in the college their own space to learn and collaborate.

“I’ve always wanted to give back to the University,” says Laundry. “I always felt that commerce students needed a home.” The historic building is being converted into a teaching and learning hub that caters to today’s tech-savvy students.

Teaching today’s students how to be tomorrow’s employees is key to their success in the workplace. As a Marketing Operations Lead for Microsoft Canada, she sees this first hand. “As a business student, it was critical to get that hands-on experience,” she says. Co-op gave her the opportunity to gain work experience, while experiential learning courses allowed her to apply her knowledge through case studies.

In addition to being a full-time student and doing co-op work terms, Laundry was heavily involved in extra-curricular activities at U of G. She joined the U of G Marketing Society before she started her first year and later joined residence life and Senate to help make the student experience the best it can be.

Laundry sees her gift to Macdonald Hall as more than just a one-time commitment. “I truly wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to donate now, as a young alumni, with the hopes of a life long giving commitment to the College.” Her gift will provide Macdonald Hall with two hallway learning spots – an area dedicated to collaborative study areas.

Outside of monetary gifts, Laundry says that there are plenty of ways for young alumni to re-connect with the University. For example, Laundry is currently mentoring two students enrolled in the B.Comm program. She advises them on their career options, such as the operations side of business-to-business marketing. “It’s an emerging discipline within marketing, and I think that’s why I enjoy it so much,” she says. Laundry also makes it a habit to come back to campus to talk to senior students about post-graduation.  Her advice to young graduates is to “always stay open to opportunities rather than focusing on a specific industry or job titles.”